As a woman who served your country, your military background is a part of your story, and what you’re achieving now as a civilian is another exciting chapter of your life. As you transitioned into a busy post-military lifestyle, it may have been hard to find time to pause and reflect on how your military experience intersects with your civilian health care journey. In the service, you might have been called “ma’am,” and now you may want to become “mom.” Your shipmates or battle buddies may have called you “squad leader,” and now you strive to become a “community leader.” While everyone’s path is unique, the need for quality health care for Veterans is consistent. Whether your separation from service was yesterday or decades ago, you may not know that your Veteran status can help you obtain excellent low- or no-cost health care. A team of all-women Veterans is standing by to help guide you on all your available benefits.
Meet your fellow Women Warriors
The VA Women’s Health Reengagement Training is offered by VA’s Office of Women’s Health (OWH). The program provides information on VA’s comprehensive health services, and guidance on how women can obtain VA health benefits tailored to their needs.
During each session, women Veteran instructors share their personal stories on how VA health care has positively impacted their lives in hopes of helping other women Veterans begin navigating VA health care. With program staff representing nearly all service branches, Reserve and Guard components, service lengths, military specialties and demographics, the program offers an inclusive space for all women Veterans to be heard, understood and valued.
Make your impact on VA’s story
No matter where the VA Women’s heaRT team travels, it’s common to hear the same sentiment repeatedly from their fellow women who served: “I wish I knew VA was a health care option for me sooner.”
Perhaps you got out of the military and started a job that offered health care. Maybe VA never crossed your mind in the flurry of transitioning to civilian life. Or, like many of the program’s instructors, maybe you had never heard about VA’s women’s health services.
One of the main barriers to accessing VA health care is lack of awareness. The team understands that many Veterans may self-exclude from applying for VA benefits because they haven’t been afforded the opportunity to learn about their options. Now, you can overcome this barrier. After attending a VA Women’s heaRT session, you will be empowered to write your own VA success story.
Next steps for VA health care success
The VA Women’s heaRT team has been hosting workshop-style events led by women Veterans for women Veterans nationwide since February 2022. With hundreds of participants attending these events since program inception, the 100% women Veteran team is eager to meet more peers like you. The Office of Women’s Health encourages all women who served to register to join one of their virtual or in-person upcoming sessions.
Please register by visiting www.womensheart.info or https://www.womenshealth.va.gov/ and clicking on “Health Benefits Course” in the “Resources” menu on the lower right side of the screen.
Topics in this story
Link Disclaimer
This page includes links to other websites outside our control and jurisdiction. VA is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of non-VA Web sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy or terms and conditions of those sites to fully understand what information is collected and how it is used.
Statement of Endorsement
Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
More Stories
The South Carolina VA team hosted an impressive Veterans Experience Action Center (VEAC) from March 21-23, 2024. Over three days, more than 1100 Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors received real-time connections to Veteran resources.
We’ve curated an assortment of events that aim to assist, educate, and enrich Veterans and their families. Each week, we’ll continue to post relevant and timely events for the Veteran community.
Each week, we receive job announcements from employers and employment websites—including RallyPoint, VetJobs and HireMilitary—looking to hire Veterans. This post contains links to job listings for the week of April 22, 2024. Each week, we’ll continue to post relevant and timely listings as we receive them, and for the locations listed.
I wish the VA knew more about Endometriosis, bc when I tried to get help at the VA for it, I was told to get a hysterectomy. I was in my 30’s and wanted at least 1 child. Unfortunately for me, the treatment that I received at the VA was not good, bc of a lack of knowledge about about this disease. I was in so much pain, and I wasn’t even referred to go to the VA pain clinic, so I ended up seeking healthcare elsewhere.
If it was possible, I would love to tell my decade long story to the VA, so that No other female Veteran suffers or has their healthcare affected, like mine was, bc of poor knowledge about the disease, Endometriosis. There are treatments, but NO cure for it.
Recently, I have come back to the VA for healthcare that’s unrelated to women’s health.
I have a lot of respect for service women and the fine job they are during.
I am a veteran’s spouse and receiving a monthly pension. I own a business and wondering if I can classify my business as a veteran’s business?
Irene Agnew.